Crowded
by kiki13450
Summary: Sam Greyfield never expected the life he has. Not at all. Not the drama. Not the people. And especially not the one thing that's screwed up his life in the first place. And when people come to make matters worse, his all-ready screwed up life becomes that much worse. In fact, a lot worse.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One:_

"_Bye, Ben!"_

_I run from Ben (my best friend) out of the quiet grass plane and into the large woods in the direction of my old, large suburban castle (as I liked to call it) where my parents were waiting for me. My neighborhood was pretty quiet one, in fact, not much really happens on normal days. But on weekends there was quite a bit of picnics in the small park on the far end of the avenue that's used to enter the neighborhood. The main attraction especially during the summer._

_I finally reach the orchid field, which is our backyard, my mother made. She always wanted to be a florist but she ended up being a nurse because she felt like they contributed to the world. I didn't understand what she meant then but now I do. I'm actually glad to call my Mommy a nurse because she helps people. I run up the big white, wooden gate which leads to the stone path which leads to the back door. Daddy's a big business guy so he makes a lot of money which explains why we have this house the first place. _

_I hear distinctive yelling when I reach the back door. I turn the knob slowly and enter the house. Mommy and Daddy are yelling form upstairs; the second floor. I sneak up the stairs, sure not make a sound. I was always good at that._

"_Daniel, we have to go! They're not joking! This is serious."  
"Don't you think I know that?! We can't keep running Sarah. Someday we're going to have to face him."_

_When I try and take the step up the stairs, it creeks. Crap. Mommy spins around and faces me, eyes wide and wet, like she was crying._

"_Sammy. When did you get back?" She says, her voice shaky; nothing like how it was seconds ago. "Me and Daddy are just talking. It's alright go to your room, I'll call you when dinner's ready."_

"_But why? What's happening? I didn't do anything."  
"I know, I know," She says, kneeling down to my level. "It's okay. There's something going on right now, so I need you to stay in your room for a while. You're not in trouble. Okay?"_

_I look at her for a moment. Her eyes are red and wet, crying. She has circles under her eyes, like she's tired and her hair's a little messy. The kitchen doesn't look like it's been walked in at all so I know something is wrong. But I nod, nonetheless, and start to go to my room. On my way, I look back down and lock eyes with Daddy. He seems worried yet angry. He nods at me and I run upstairs to my room._

_I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think when I see my parents like that telling me everything's okay. So I stay in my room like they told me. For about 20 more minutes, there's continuous yelling and shuffling down there. But then I hear other voices, a door opening, loud banging, and Mommy screams. I sit up in bed and exit my room. Quietly I move towards the long stairwell and climb down the stairs. I peek to see what is happening and I see men I do not recognize but I can't see my parents. I, surprisingly, sprint, while ducking, behind the couch in the living room._

"_We warned you. My boss isn't very patient. Where. Is. The. Money?" I hear one man say.  
"L-Look. We know what you guys want and we are on it, okay?" Daddy says.  
The man laughs.  
"He-he. I'm afraid that's not good enough." Another says._

_I crawl under the couch and try to get a peek at what's happening. But by the time at get to the edge, there's is loud shuffling, yelling and screaming, and the sound of punches being thrown. I scoot back under only to hear my father scream and a gunshot. A man fall back against the couch and slumps down to sitting position. No moving. I know it's my dad because of the clothes he's wearing._

_I hear my mom scream and two more gunshots. My mom falls to the floor next to the couch and I can see her. She's shot. She looks at me, still alive, taking quick short breaths. She looks at me for a while until she slowly closes her eyes._

_The men are still shuffling around the house._

"_Come on! Let's go!" I hear some men exit the house but one still remains. When I think he's not looking, I reach from under the couch to get to my mother. Unfortunately the man sees me and grabs my hand._

"_Hey there, kid," He says, hoisting me up to eye level. "Sorry about your parents. They were in a lot of trouble. But now I can't have you telling the police what you saw."_

_He suddenly drops me onto the ground, causing me to hit my head on the ground. Hard. He takes out his gun and points it straight at me. He begins to cock his gun and I shut my eyes tight. I sit waiting to die. But I don't. All I hear is the man yelp out in pain. I open my eyes and see why. A pointy object has stabbed him right in the chest. I t looked like the one that was on the table right next to him. He falls to the ground. I quickly scoot over to my mother, still dizzy from the fall. I lie down next to her and I must have passed out because I wake up in a bright room. When my vision clears up, I see someone looking down at me. My aunt._


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the second chapter for you. Btw, this story is based off of and related to the TV show "The Tomorrow People". So if you watch that show you have and idea about what this is about. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Psychokinesis or telekinesis, is an alleged psychic ability allowing a person to influence a physical system without physical interaction. Psychokinesis and telekinesis are sometimes abbreviated as PK and TK respectively. Examples of psychokinesis could include moving an object and levitation." (Source: Psychokinesis, Wikipedia)

I stare at the computer a long while. examining the words and pictures. I swear I've read this thing a thousand times but I just can't get enough of it. It's like that one thing in a movie you love some much, you can't get enough of it. Except this isn't a movie. This is real life. This is my life.

"Sam! Hurry you're gonna be late!"

"Coming!"

I scramble to get my stuff together. It's a sad, sunless Monday morning, and yes I have to go to school. Awesome (not). School has been shitty ever since the worst day of my life. Which may be a stupid thing to say considering I've been a straight A student for as long as I can remember. Top of my class. Awesome (not). I shove my things in my bag and exit my room. Downstairs, my aunt is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairwell. A disapproving look. I glance over to Fred, my uncle. He's made pancakes and there's one sitting on the table. Cold.

"Sorry, I was busy...Finishing up some homework."

"Mm-hmm. 16 year old boy up in his room a long time," She begins to walk away. "Who knows what you do up there."

"16 and three-quarters. And gross."

I get all my things and begin to leave the house when I forget something. I drop my things and run upstairs. I walk over to the room, the door ajar. I look in and see her in her rocking chair, reading a book. The same book from last week which she's already read.

The day my father died, my mother has never been the same. The day after the worst day, wasn't, in fact, the worst I've seen her. She was in the hospital for weeks. And during that time, the wonderful house I grew up in that became my worst nightmare, was to be sold off and me to go live with my aunt and uncle in Minnesota. The transition from California to Minnesota wasn't easy. My mother at one point was able to go on the plane to MN. By the end of the flight, she was practically coughing up blood so we had to take her to another hospital until she could come home. She's been sick for a while now. With cancer. She was not too far along when we found out at her check-up. From that point on, she was miserable.

She never told me why that night even happened in the first place. I don't think she ever could.

"Hey, Mom," I say as I walk into the room. She glances at me away from her book.

"Oh, hey honey," She says. "How are you?"

"Good. Still reading that book?"

"It's so good. Never tired of it."

I smile and kiss her on her head.

"I've gotta go, mom," I say. "See ya."

She grabs my hand before I can leave.

"Have a good day, honey. I love you."

"Love you too."

She always has done that the most she can ever since that day. And I can't blame her considering what she's been through. What we've been through. What I've been through only at the age of 8.

I walk across the street and head to the small park at the end of the road because I left early. Didn't feel like eating breakfast. As I am walking sown the sidewalk, Some nut-job, jerk-face slams into me and makes me drop my PSP, which I was playing. He yells "Watch it!" though he's the one who bumped me. I pick up my game. Without my hands. One of the many advantages of Telekinesis, as I like to call it. Psychokinesis sounds like I'm not a psycho. Depending on what you mean by psycho. I look around. No one saw me and that kid was down the road by then. I make it to Jonah and I's meeting spot. Jonah's sort of my best friend since I lost Ben years ago. He's probably the only person that gets me other than my family, though they don't really get me that much. I sit for a while wondering when he'll show. He pops out of the trees while dragging his bike along side of him.

"You're late," I exclaim.

"My dad was being a dick...Sorry"

"It's ok."

He sits on the next swing beside me.

"Today's the day we pick Prom King and Queen," He says. "It's gonna be crazy."

See, if only I took him seriously when he said it was going to be crazy. Really crazy.

We head to the bus stop.


	3. Chapter 3

Jonah and I get onto the bus and take our normal seats in the middle. Me at the window seat, Jonah on the outside. Jonah looks me up and down for a moment. I look at him and give him the expression: 'Is there a problem?'

"Could you at least make an effort when, dude?"

I look down at myself. What I'm wearing honestly doesn't seem that bad. I have a long sleeve white T-shirt with a short tee with a Doctor Who logo (my favorite show) on top. My pants are dark, straight army cargo pants with big pockets and below I have combat boots. I don't think I need to make an effort for school because I simply don't mean to impress these people. I don't fell the need to. I look as good as any skinny (I'm working on it) 16-and-three-quarters year old boy with sort-of messy dark brown have with freckles can look. Like Darren Criss, except my hair doesn't grow long, isn't as curly and is dark brown, I don't get many girls and I can't sing for shit.

Jonah, on the other hand goes all out with his outfits. He has an athletic T-shirt on made by Nike with a sleeveless vest over it. He has baggy jeans on and ridiculously expensive shoes on which I don't know why people buy, and his oh so famous blue army print Beats headphones he switches out for a different color everyday. He thinks 'this is how you get the ladies'. But, honestly, I don't know what girl he has gotten so far since this one crazy girl the he was with in middle school. Too bad she disappeared four months into 6th grade.

"I'll dress how I want, you dress how you want," I say.

"Hey, Sammy! Nice shirt!" Some obnoxious boy behind us says.

I turn around and smile. I see that it is Brandon "Cougar" Hawke. The idiot who finds it entertaining to pick on me everyday. I'm starting to think he has a crush on me.

"Thanks!" I say. He stares at me like I'm crazy.

"Wasn't a compliment, dumbass," he says, quite aggressively.

Sandra Perkins, Cougar's "girlfriend" comes up behind him.

"Come on, Cougar. Leave him alone. He's not worth your time anyway," she say.

Cougar backs away but still glares at me.

"I'm expected your vote for Prom King today!" Cougar goes to the back of the bus.

That obviously wasn't going to happen because I wasn't voting. Sarah smiles at me before she goes. I've got to admit Sarah's cute. I've known her since we were in elementary school when I moved here. She would always wear rippled skirts everyday with a pink outfit and a big, bright pink bow in her hair. Now she wears shorts skirts(even when it's cold outside) and crop tops. I would give her the time of day but I'm honestly the only 16 year old boy not really interested in dating girls or having time for them. Considering I always had time. I'm not gay, I swear.

We arrive at school and me and Jonah exit the bus. There's a pep rally today, for a reason I have yet to know, so most people, mainly seniors and staff, are outside. I see Janette Dawson skip up to us. Janette has been our friend since middle school and has a crush on me while Jonah has a crush on her and I have a crush on neither of them. Quite a love triangle, right?

"Hey, guys!" she exclaims. "Hey Sam."  
"Hey Janette," I reply  
Jonah jumps in. "Hey. This place this full of people. Too bad we can't join. We're only sophomores."

"OK, students! No standing around around! If you're not a senior, you should be walking into the building...Now!"

We walk inside the school and breath in the cool air of the worst social group arranged places. Non of which I'm apart of. Janette starts rambling on about her spring break mostly talking to me. Jonah looks over to a bunch of girls and walks over to them, seeming annoyed. I don't know why he's mad because I told him he can have Janette because I wanted interested. I hardly was listening to her anyway. Later that day, after a super boring day of exams; Geometry, which I pass and Biology, which I also pass. Not to brag.

By lunchtime, I was exhausted. I sit with Jonah and Janette, which I do everyday. There's a last minute voting post up for the Prom King and Queen and people are running up to vote for their favorites.

"Ooh! Let's go vote!" Janette explains.

I try to protest but Janette grabs my hand and drags me over before I can react. When we get up there, oh so coincidentally, Cougar is up there. He spins around and sees us there. I stare blankly at him.

"Hey! Sam, I was looking for you!"

"Oh, really?" I ask

"You here to vote?" he says completely ignoring what I just said.

"Why else would I-"

"Good! So vote for me."

He grasps me shoulder, hard, and pulls me up to the table. I grab a card from the girl at the desk.

"Go ahead," he say, quite persistently.

I grab a pen and "begin to write something" I don't. Instead I write nothing. Because I didn't want to vote and don't intend on it.

I slide the paper in the box.

"Cool. Thanks, man," Cougar says "For that, I won't take your homework for tomorrow. I'll let it slide"

I walk away because if I stood there any longer I was going to punch him in the face. Right when lunch is about to end, there is some weird commotion going on at the cafeteria doors. The teachers look worried and confused and when I large man fully dressed in black with body armor and a gun comes in, I understand why. Once everyone notices, the place goes dead silent.

"What the fuck?" Jonah says.

The man grabs the mic and speaks loudly, which I don't understand because he has a mic.

"OK, EVERYONE. STAY CALM. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A STUDENT BY THE NAME OF SAM GREYFIELD," he says loudly.

Everyone looks around until they see me. Jonah and Janette stare at me, bewildered. I honestly have no idea was going on, so no matter how many times Jonah I asks me, I keep saying no. More men show up and eventually someone points at me. The men come over to our table and loom over us.

"You Sam?" one of them ask. I gulp

"Yes."

"Come with me."

I stand up slowly and the men lead me toward the exit. I look back and Jonah and Janette are staring at me, both bewildered and confused. Jonah mouths "What the Fuck?" and I just shrug, trying to cover up my fear and confusion as to what is going on. They lead me out of the school to a large black van across the street. I ask them what is going on but they look straight ahead, ignoring me. They open the van and gently shove me inside.

It's dark at first but my eyes adjust to seeing a woman sitting across from me smiling. One of those creepy-not at all friendly smiles.

"Hello, Sam. So nice to finally see you. We've been looking for you for a long time."


	4. Chapter 4

The van begins moving.

"I'd advice you to put on your seat belt," The woman says.

I ignore her suggestion. "Who the hell are you and why am I here?" I ask, frustrated.

She doesn't respond.

"Do my aunt and my uncle know what's happening?" I say, with more persistence. "Or my mom?"

The woman shifted in her seat so she can see me better. She regards me in silence for an awkward beat of silence. I had never notice prior to this moment how icy her eyes were. Gray and icy, like a wind-tossed arctic ocean. "Someone will be in touch with your family if deemed necessary by my superiors," she says staring at me smiling, yet she looks very annoyed.

"Necessary? By your superiors?" I say in disbelief. "So your superiors decide whether or not to tell my family that you've taken me? That is outrageous."

"Please put on your seat belt," she says. her eyes burning two holes into my forehead.

I was aware that my mouth was hung open but I was truly befuddled by what this woman said about my well-being and not telling me about why I was in the van and where I was being taken. I fell back into my seat. I could be being kidnapped right now and I don't even know.

Later, of what feels like 2 hours, I look out the window and the van pulls up to a giant metal gate. The driver swipes the card and talks into a monitor and the gate opens. We drive up past the gate to a huge, brick building that looks like it's from the 20th century. It had three floors with a balcony on the second floor. Light blazed through the windows and the front door opens. Few people stream out of the building. The woman opens the door and hops out.

"Come on, Mr. Greyfield. We've been very anxious to meet you since we finally found you."

I glare at her and drag myself out of the van stretched once I was out. The van doors suddenly shut, scaring me, and quickly drove away. Jeez, are you in a hurry or what? She walks up the big white steps and slowly follow behind. We walk inside and the ceiling had to be at least 25 foot tall. This place was big. I start to lag behind and hurry to catch up with her. She's walked up to a man with glasses, wearing a red plaid shirt with a blue tie, khakis and dress shoes. He looked like my 40-yearo-old science teacher whom I hated.

"I see there were no problems transporting him here, Miss Adams." he says. _Oh, he's British too._

"No, Dr. Maxwell," she replies, not nearly as cruel sounded as before.

"Good. That is all, Miss Adams. I'll take it from here."

The woman walks away, her heels clamping on the tiled floor with loud sounds echoing off the walls. I always hated heels.

"Ah, Mr. Greyfield. So nice to finally meet you," he says, a little excited and friendly. He clamps a hand down on my shoulder.

"I don't understand what's happening right now."

"I apologize for the inconvenience. We were in a hurry. Your questions will be answered later. Come, follow me."

He puts an arm around my shoulders and practically pulls me along with him. we walk down a long corridor that seemed to last forever. A woman walks up to Dr. Maxwell. He glances at me.

"Hello, Mr. Greyfield. Nice to meet you," she says. _How do these people know me? _"Doctor, is there anything you need for Mr. Greyfield?"

"Yes. Please make sure you call his caretakers and let them know he is OK and well. And explain the situation. Thank you Miss Farrell." She walks away.

"I'm sure you'll get along with the others, Mr. Greyfield," Dr. Maxwell says.

"Others?"

"Yes, there are seven of you now that you've arrived. Others that are special, just like you." I'm slightly confused of what he means but I don't respond.

"Let me show you to your room now, Mr. Greyfield." He leads to up a large staircase that curves into a slight spiral and down a long hallway. Wow, this place is old fashioned. We stop at a door three doors down the hallway.

"Here is your room. There is spare clothing in there if you would like to change. We'll be sure to get your luggage from home because you will be staying here a while. There will be a meeting later on tonight and everything will be explained there. If you need anything you need, just ask. Feel at home here."

"Sure," I say. He smiles and turns back down the hallway. I turn and open the door. The room doesn't look half bad. There is a nice queen bed in the middle and a large window with a sitting area, a large, old-looking bookcase with a lounge chair next to it and a large floral rub on the floor. A pile of clothes lay on the bed. I go over to it and examine it. _How do they know my clothing size?_ I look at the clock on the small end table next to the bed. 6_:35? How long was I in that van?_ I had about 30 minutes to spare before the "meeting", so I grab a book and open it and start reading.


	5. Chapter 5

There's a loud bang bang on my door. I jumped at the sound.

"Mr. Greyfield, if you're ready, I'll walk you down to the meeting!" a woman with a high-pitched voice exclaimed

I groaned. I was just getting to the good part in the book I was reading. I make good note of where I was in the book and stood to get the door. When I open it, I see a short women beaming at me with a little too much enthusiasm. She looks about twenty-something and has short curly lock in her hair, far too much make-up on her face. She has a colorful outfit on, a pink and purple blouse on with a poofy floral skirt and red flats. She looked like she was dressed for Halloween.

"You ready?" she asks.

I look at her for a moment. _I swear I feel like I'm in a mental institution._

"Um, yeah. Sure"

"Follow me then, Mr. Greyfield."

I put my gray combat boots back on and head out the door, following the woman. We walk down the long corridor for a while until we pan left, down the stairs, and into the main lobby. We passed the front door and turned into a long hallway. The hallway had polished hardwood floors and old photos and paintings hung up on the walls. I reminded me of an old plantation house I've seen in movies. It was awkwardly silent and the only sound was the thud of my combat boots on the hardwood floor with each step.

"The gathering is in the library," she said suddenly. "It's one of the few rooms Dr. Maxwell altered when he started up this building for you guys in the area. It's quite beautiful. You like reading?"

"Yeah, sure. depends on the book, though." I said, a little distracted by the photos and paintings. They are so beautiful and exquisite. I never really was into to art but when it came up I was always interested. I would wonder how the painters got their inspiration to paint such things and why. The woman stops suddenly, next to a large door.

"Here it is, Mr Greyfield," she says, smiles, and walks away.

I open the large doors, which are quite heavy. The room was very large and there were bookshelves all over that almost touched the ceiling. It reminded my of those ladders with wheels that were in the Harry Potter films. Now that I think of it, this whole place reminds me of Harry Potter. Dr. Maxwell called out to me, pulling me from my reverie. "Ah, Mr. Greenfield! So glad you made it!"

I turn my attention to him as he strides over to me.

"Did you have a little time to rest?"

"Please, call me Sam. and yeah. I read a little," I say.

"Ah, I love a youngster who reads. God knows we need more of it." _Youngster?_

_"_I've never liked reading. More into movies." a voice said.

I spun around to see who had said said that and immediately floored. I saw a girl, around my age, leaning up against a bookshelf with her arms crossed. She was pretty. By her clothes her seemed like she was the edgy type.

"Jennifer, I didn't see you there," Dr. Maxwell said, also taken aback by her sudden outburst. The color had gone out of his face. "I thought you wouldn't be coming."

"Well, I didn't want to miss the new kid we're welcoming," she says in a mischievous tone. " I was expected more of an asylum type kid.

"Miss Parker, that's inappropriate," Dr. Maxwell snaps, though it's not very convincing and he seems intimidated by her.

_Jennifer Parker. Where have I heard that name before? _I look her up and down. She's wearing her short curly hair down with a little packed in the pack. She's wearing a dark purple vest and top of a black shirt with a white skull along the front, a belt with shiny silver studs across it, black skinny jeans with black combat boots. She has some make-up on but not much and she has very faint dimples and green eyes. I stare at her face for a bit, very intensely. I'm pretty I like some type of predator examining it's meal. But then it hits me. Jennifer Parker! The mystery girl from middle. Jennifer was the girl what was with Jonah in middle. The two love birds

That was before she disappeared. One day she and Jonah were whispering and laughing to each other, the next she was gone. Everyone thought she moved, got tired of the city. Tired of San Francisco. It broke Jonah's heart. His first girlfriend had just left him so who can blame him. Some said that she was taken to a mental hospital and child protective services took her from her parents. Anyway, she never showed up again. And I'm guessing this is where ended up and I have yet to know what this place is.

"What are you staring at?" she snaps at me after a while.

I quickly look away, shaking my head. "Nothing." She obviously doesn't recognize me.

"Weirdo," she says, under her breath. "Anyway I'm gonna go get a snack. When does the get-together start again? 8:30?"

"Uh, 8:15," Dr. Maxwell says but Jennifer is already out the door. I glance at Dr. Maxwell who seems flustered. But so am I

"Why am I here? And where am I?" I ask agitated.

Dr. Maxwell sighs. "I was thinking that you would ask that," he says. _Who wouldn't? _"But I'd rather discuss it later; with a larger group."

Before I can respond, the doors bust open and five individuals, all teenagers(one of which looks like a young adult), walk into library. They all walk over to where Dr. Maxwell and I are standing and take their seats in the chairs, which are all facing one spot, making it a circle. Dr. Maxwell and I take our seats. Dr. Maxwell smiles and greets everyone. He says that we should all introduce ourselves for my sake. I groan and fall back in my seat. _Why won't he just tell me?_

"I'm Abigail Ryans. I'm from northern Florida, 16 years old and I've been here for 2 years when I first broke out." the girl next to me says. I stare at her confused. _Broke out? _She has long red hair that is tied back but falls down to about the middle of her back. She wears glasses and has long eyelashes. They continue going around the circle in the other direction of me. Which means I'm last.

"I'm Daniel Grey. I'm from upstate New York, 17 and I came here 1.5 years ago," the boy next to Abigail says. He has long straight, brown hair, the tips touching the bottom of his neck around his shoulders. He wears a dark blue "NYC" sweatshirt with jean shorts and blue converse sneakers.

We continue down the circle with greetings. John Meyers, a 17 and a half years old from Pennsylvania who came here a year ago; Katherine "Kate" Johnson, a 18-years-old from here in Minnesota who came here 3 years ago; and Elliot "Eli" Davidson, a 16-years-old from Washington who came here 2 years ago. Then when it get to me, the Jennifer comes through the library door.

"Jennifer, you missed the meet-and-greet," Dr. Maxwell says.

"Sorry, James. Got lost," she replies, taking her seat. _Dang she really pushes this guy around. And he lets her! _Dr. Maxwell looks at her like wants to say something but doesn't.

"Ok, well I'm Jenn, 17 going on 18, upstate New York, came 4 years ago. you guys all know that." She glances at me considering I'm the only one who didn't know. Four years ago would mean 6th grade, which is when she left; Me, Sam Greyfield, 16 and three quarters years old, from California.

"Ok, everyone. Down to business. We're here, as we always are, to share why we are here and what is done here. Anyone want to share?...Daniel?"  
Daniel turns mostly to me. "We are here because we are special. And by special I mean not so special. We are paranormals. And so are you..."

"Sam."

"...Sam. Most of what we can do is teleportation, telekinesis, and telepathy."

I look at him like he's crazy.

"What?"

Dr. Maxwell chimes in. "We have done our research and found out that you are a paranormal, Sam. And that you've broken out. Quite young actually. Younger than anyone else here."

I look around at everyone. _What is this place? _I can't say I'm entirely befuddled by what they just said because if you think about, I think I am what they say I am. A "paranormal". But I still not understand the situation and what goes on here.

"Do you know the powers you possess, Sam?" Dr. Maxwell asks. I think about it a bit. _Should I tell them about it? These people whom I don't know, besides Jenn?_ I don't know how to react.

"I think so," I say. "I've been able to move things with my mind when I wanted." Dr. Maxwell nods

"Yes, that usually is the first power that breaks through. Any other experiences?"

I look at everyone in the room. Finally I glance at Jenn, who is glaring at me. For a moment she stays glaring, but then her face turns to shocked. She suddenly gets up and leaves the room, without another word. Everyone looks at me, searching for a reason for her leaving. I couldn't take the eyes anymore so I excuse myself. I somehow find my way to my room. I enter the room, shut the door behind me, plop down on my bed, and put head in my hands. _This is the craziest day ever. _After a while I hear a knock on my door and open it. I'm hoping it's Dr. Maxwell or the other kids trying to welcome. But it's Jenn.

"Why are you here?" she asks, getting straight to the point.

"...Umm, I'd like to ask you the same thing. I haven't seen you in years. Not since you left. Not since you disappeared."

"Yeah, well I've been here the whole time, as you now know," she chuckles. "Who knew? Who knew we'd be the same, huh? I sure didn't." I stare at her a moment.

"I don't know...Jonah missed you." She looks up at me, because she was looking down before, surprised and shocked. Her eyes look wet, like she's about to cry. She suddenly straightens up and quickly walks away. I look down the hallway just as she turns the corner. I shut my door and plop back down into bed. Staring up at the ceiling.

I glanced at the clock. 9:30. I wondered if this is what it would be like. If I would stay here forever. Like Jenn. Just disappear from my world and my family and friends. I wondered if I would end up exactly like Jennifer Parker, the lost girl.


	6. Chapter 6

_"Hello? Sam?"_

_"Yes? Who is this?"_

_"It's me."_

_"Who's me?"_

_"Cara."_

_"Cara. I remember you. What do you want from me."_

_"I need to speak to you."_

_"About what."_

_"Listen. You need to..."_

_"Hello? Cara? Are you there? CARA?"_

A loud bang is what makes me springs awake from my sleep.

"Mr. Greyfield, breakfast is soon!" a girl outside the door exclaims in a cheery voice. "By the way, 8:00 is your morning curfew. So you should probably get up now!"

I hear something slide on the floor and then her soft, almost silent, footsteps walk away. I groan and glance at the clock with what little sight my tired eyes allow me to have. 7 AM. I decide that I will sleep for about 25 minutes more because I am far too tired to get up at the moment.

I wake again and glance at the clock 7:26 AM. Wow. When I said 25 minutes, I meant it. I slowly roll on the bed. My bed back at home was my own little sanctuary. But I'm home, so when I roll over I plummet to the floor. Hard. Gosh, this bed is small. I eventually get up off the floor and it on the bed. I unfortunately am still in the same clothing I had on yesterday, so I stink. I walk over and retrieve the card I see on the floor that the girl slid under the door.

_Good morning, Mr. Greyfield! Hope you slept good!  
__I have left you some bath essentials because I thought you'd want to shower  
__before coming to breakfast today. So head on over to the showers, get dressed and meet us down  
__in the dining room. :)  
-Miss Robinson, your trusty sidekick._

I have yet to understand this perky woman who smiles too much. I look around the room and see the clothes that were left for me were now on the floor before I exit my room. I look down and see arrows pointing down the hallway. I'm guessing this is directions to the bathroom. When I get there, it's huge. Biggest bathroom I've ever seen. It's shiny and had tiles all along the floors, walls, and ceiling. In the front of the bathroom, you see stalls for the toilets and sicks directly across from it on the opposite wall. down further there is a place for showers, exactly four of then as there were four toilets, two of which were urinals. I look at the sinks across from the showers and there is a large mirror along the whole wall above the sinks. I glance down and see a shower caddy with my name on it and full of bath essentials.

Grabbing it, I go over to a secluded shower area at the far end of the bathroom and get in the shower. There's a boombox near the shower that another kid must have left. _What the hell_. I press play and a random indie song starts playing. I shower, moisturize myself and begin combing my tangled hair, thanks to the bath essentials. Suddenly I hear the door open and Abigail, the redhead from the previous night, walks in. I stand there frozen and embarrassed. Because I have nothing on but a towel wrapped around my waist. She smiles.

"Hey, Sam"

"...Umm, c-can you knock? This is the _boys_ bathroom , you know," I say, blushing hard, I can just tell.

"This is a "public" bathroom. And I just came to get something from Daniel." she begins laughing. "Jeez, don't be such a girl."

I stare at her in astonishment and grab my things and hurry out of there. I find my way back to my room and shut the door. The clothes are no longer on the floor. In fact, they are on the bed and completely different clothes. Grabbing them, I see a dark blue short-sleeved shirt, a black and white plaid button-up shirt, blue straight jeans, a pair on underwear and socks, and on the floor, blue converse sneakers. I quickly get dressed, because it's 7:55 now, and make my way, wherever that is, to the dining room. I eventually find it after ten minutes of searching.

When I walk up, I see some circular dining tables, a counter with window showing a lady who I think is serving lunch. There is a line of food behind a glass cover with different types of food behind it. Like how they are at school lunches. I collect my breakfast and walk over to the tables, not sure which one to sit at. There are five tables and one have them has Dr. Maxwell, another man whom I've never seen before, and two women. One of them seem to be my "trusty sidekick". The table closest to me consists of three of the kids I met last night.

"Sam! Hey, Sam!"

I look back over and see that Abigail is ushering me over. I walk over there. She is sitting with Daniel, the kid with the somewhat short-long brown hair from NYC, and Kate, a blonde girl, sitting across from them. I sit sown beside Kate.

"Hey," I say. They say hi back.

"So you're Sam," Daniel says, leaning forward. "The new kid."

"Yeah, i guess. I've got to say, this is a very different new kid feeling."

"I know right. I felt the same when I came. John was the new kid before you, so if you want advice, ask him."

"I'll do that." I won't. Daniel continues talking to me.

"This is here is my partner. Abi. Pronounced with an e sound." He days draping his arm over Abigail's shoulder. "And my girlfriend."

"Yeah, you wish," she says, yet she's giggling so I'm pretty sure they're dating.

I look around behind me trying to find Jenn. I see her sitting alone reading a book, not eating. I look at her for a moment but then she looks up and locks eyes with me and I quickly turn back around. I turn again and see that she's not looking anymore. Dr. Maxwell has come over and is talking to her. _What's with those two? _When I turn back around, Abi and Daniel are looking between me and Jenn. Kate too.

"Jenn's been here the longest," Abi says "I think she's the first that was at this place in Minnesota four years ago."

"We used to call her the 'bitch of paranormals'. but who knows what she's been through since she started." I nod in understanding. Really. Who knows? Maybe Dr. Maxwell.

"Any idea why she reacted the way she did with you? I've never seen her do that with any of us before," Daniel asks. "Did you know her before this?"

They're looking at me with the same question. Curious faces that I don't think I can satisfy. Jennifer was like any other ordinary girl back in middle school. I'd never have thought something like _this_ would happen to her. She was different, not the same girl she was four years ago. Since she left halfway into the school year, Jonah was miserable. He said he was "in love" but I honestly think it was like he had lost his favorite action figure. Soon forgot about it and moved on. I didn't forget her. I rarely ever forget things. Maybe that came with my so called "powers" Jenn was completely different than how she was then. She was tougher, rougher, meaner, etc. Hell, last time I saw her she was wearing bows and pretty skirts.

"No, I don't think so."

"You sure?" Kate asks. "Does she look somewhat recognizable to you."

"Nope." Kate looks at me, skeptical, yet I keep a straight face knowing she probably doesn't buy it.

"So tell us about yourself, Sam" I sigh.

"My life isn't that interesting, guys. I mean I'd bore myself just telling it." They stare at me, not excepting that as answer.

"Well, okay. I live(d) with my aunt, uncle, and mother. I was born in California. I'm in the tenth grade, and now I find out that I'm a paranormal."

""That isn't very interesting," Kate says.

"I think this is when it gets interesting," Dave says, smiling.

When I head to the bathroom, I'm stopped by someone grabbing my arm. It's Dave.

"About Jenn. I hear she's been in this institution since the beginning. One of the first to in the country. It was pretty bad at first, not nearly like it is now. They would experimented on those kids, did tests. all sorts of shit. Pretty bad, right?" I nod in agreement. I can't imagine what that was like. "J.M., which is what I call him, started up this place in this town and he's the one who decided to take her in. Got her out of there. You should know, she's antisocial and when she has to interact with us, she uses as few words as possible. She's really fucked up. And I know that you know her, but let's just keep that to ourselves, alright?" I nod, for about the tenth time.

I look over at Jenn. She sits and pick at her food. She's so different now, not he same Jenn from middle school. Can you blame her?

I make my way to the restroom and afterwords, as I open the door, I see a note on the ground. It's from Dr. Maxwell. He wants to meet me out in the back garden.

Thank god. Maybe he can finally explain what's going on here.


	7. Chapter 7

I walk out, through what I think is the backdoor and of the building, into the garden. It's quite big actually. Very...green. With rocks and flowers. Reminds me of my mother's garden in the old house. Outside, John, tall kid with short black hair, and Ben, medium high kid with long, curly hair and glasses, are throwing a football back and forth. Two nurses are walking and talking and Dr. Maxwell stands, facing the other direction, staring out at something. I walk down the steps and over to him. Whe I reach him, I'm not quite sure what to do so I just awkwardly clear my throat. He spins around.

"Sam, there you are. Come, sit."

He leads me over to two chairs under an umbrella. I take the seat closest to me.

"So I thought I should now answer the questions you've had since you got here. I know you've been quite anxious to know."

"Yeah," I say. "I have."

"Good." He shifts in his seat so he's more comfortable. "As you know, like we've told you, you are a paranormal. You possess the pwers telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation."

"Still sounds bizarre."

He chuckles. "I can imagine. Me, myself, never had such and introduction as you've had. My experience was not so pleasant."He pauses for a moment. "My father was always a secretive man during my childhood. He was a professor. At University of Manchester and he expected me to go there one day. I always had a lot of pressure on me from my father. growing up in England was, how can I say, interesting. But I always wondered what America was like and how there culture was from mine. Again my father was very secretive, almost too busy for us, Me and my sister, Margaret. Made it to about half of my cricket games and a quarter of Margaret's dance recitals." He chuckles at the thought of it.

"Anyway, I was curious, as any young boy would be of their father who works all the time, about what he was really doing. Because I knew it was lab work or him preparing papers for the university. One day I finally decided to see what he was up to. While he was at work for the night, I followed him. He was in this strange building on another side of town, which I hadn't seen before. It was quite hard sneaking my way in." He chuckles. "I felt like I was in a spy movie, like James Bond. I saw into a room he was in and boy was I surprised. There were computer everywhere. All these lights and technical stuff. I saw my father and a few other men with tools and supplies. And I man lying on a counter. He looked death. Just as I was about to see what they were doing I was caught. Things happened and I ended up in a lobby for 3 hours waiting for my father.

"I tried to ask him what it was I just saw, he shushed me, angrily, and scolded for me for following him out there. Especially on a school night. I didn't ask again. A few months later, my sister was angry about something. He had missed her big recital he promised to be at." He paused, looking down at his hands. "I remember how angry and disappointed she was. I was honestly quite annoyed and I wanted her to stop whining. Things got heated and she started pushes me against the wall over and over again. She started crying. I could understand that because my father wasn't very good to her. Margaret was angry that I didn't understand why she was so angry back then.

"Maybe the stupidest thought in my life. She grabbed a small statue on my dresser that was from my uncle who died when I was a child. I yelled at her to out it down but she threatened to throw it out the window. I got so angry and next thing I never something had shoved her." He places his hand over his mouth, his eyes glassier than before. "And she fell out. Along with my statue. She was hurt so rushed her to the hospital but she didn't make it. My whole and family and everyone who loved her was shocked and didn't understand how it could happen. One day when my father was picking me up for school, he asked me what happened. I couldn't lie to him so I told him and only him what happened in that room. That's when it all started, I suppose. He knew exactly what had happened and that I had powers. Turns out I got it from my grandfather who had already died at the time."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," I say. He continues.

"He told my family that he was taking me to boarding school but I knew he wasn't. My mother fought him, couldn't bare the thought of losing another child but I still left, at the age of 17. He told me about my powers and I couldn't believe. To know that I was the cause of my sister's death. He took me to a facility in Liverpool, some time away from Manchester. Long story short, they did tests on me and experiments to check out my genes and why I have these powers. That was the rest of _my _childhood. I heard my father talk about a whole program in America with people with powers. Eventually we came here to America, I started working for the company as I got older and here we are now."

"My father left 3 years ago under unfortunate circumstances and has been gone since."

"Gosh, that does suck."

"Yes, yes it does. Although my father started with experiments, that's not what I wanted. So I worked to set up a new program. To help young paranormals as much as we can and hopefully there life wouldn't turn out the way they did with me, or others before this program started."

"Good. Because I wasn't going to become some lab rat," I say. He laughs.

"Wouldn't expect you to." I lean forward.

"I'd like to know about Jenn, Dr. Maxwell. I hear she's one of the first ones to come to the program. What happened with her?" Maxwell sighs. and leans back in his chair.

"Please, call me James. And Jennifer _was _one of the firsts. Where exactly did you hear that?"

"Just...heard," I say, trying not to dwell on how I know.

"Ok, well Jennifer was the first in Minnesota. Sadly that was before we switched up the program. She was taken in earlier so I'd say she's had about the same experience like mine. You know they did tests and experiments on her and everything. I didn't like what they were doing. She was so young and she was miserable and I thought it was wrong as any human being would. But sadly they were were more worried on research than her well-being. That's sort of what inspired me to set this up 5 years ago. It really took a toll on her."

"Yeah I've noticed," I say. He stares up at the building behind us.

"This place was the first of the facilities to be setup in the whole country. After we took her here, I thought she'd get better but what happened to her couldn't be replaced by this place."

"What about her family? What did they know?" His gaze comes back to me.

"I'd rather not discuss that with you with out her consent," he replies, an absolute serious look one his. I study his features. The couldn't have over thirty years of age. I estimate somewhere between twenty-four and twenty-eight. I sit back in my chair.

"I can see why you guys are close. You were the one who got her out of there," I say,

"Yes, I suppose," He says not really answering me completely. "I'll tell you something about you though, Sam. You were actually another reason why I started this place." I give him a confused look. _What? _"Before this, I actually happen to hear of what happened to you when you were a small child." I stiffen up because I know what he's getting at. _How the hell does he know about my life?_

"How do you know that?"

"I saw your file, Sam. Before he left, my father was curious about you and what happened and I suppose he blew it aside. I didn't. I wondered. How could an 8-year-old boy, after witnessing his parent getting shot by random men, possibly run up behind a large man, grab a small ornament that wasn't even sharp in the first place, and stab him in the back, killing him? I knew that couldn't of happened but sheer luck, so I knew you were special. And the fact that your powers came out at the age of twelve was especially astonishing. I thought you were especially special." I stare blankly at him for a moment. This is crazy and I don't know if I can deal with it.

"I'd like my stuff back now," I say standing up. "You know, my cell phone and everything."

"Sorry, Sam. But we don't have private phones here. We all share house phones. And don't worry, your luggage arrived earlier today. Your stuff is on your room. We gave your phone back to your aunt and uncle and your mum."

"I'd like to talk to them, please."

"That reminds me I have a letter from them," He reaches in his pocket and hands me an envelope. "Unfortunately, the phone lines busy. There was a tornado a few miles from here this morning."

I look at the envelope. I mean to ask him something else but a nurse calls for him. He walks over to her, leaving me. I want to go inside bu suddenly I hear a voice again.

_"Sam."_

I look around but see close enough to hear them that clearly.

_"Sam. Come towards the woods for me, will ya'?" _The voice says. It sounds like the girl I heard in my dreams.

I walk over towards the woods. When I enter I see a woman standing at and empty spot, clear of trees. She's dressed in a leather jacket with a purple shirt underneath, black skinny jeans and boots. She has long brown hair that's tucked behind he ears.

"Come here," she says. For some reason I feel the need to, so I do.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Cara, remember? I've been speaking to you but I only seem to catch you when you were sleeping." Cars. I've been hearing her in my head for a while but I just thought I was just having some weird dreams about girls, which is weird.

"I thought you were just a dream."

"I'm not. I've been able to contact you in your mind. Young, telepathically. Anyway, I'm here to warn you. This place, this program isn't all good. You shouldn't trust it."

"What do you mean?" Be fore she and answer there's a rustle in the trees behind. me

"I don't have much time but you shouldn't stay here. Things could get bad. Just meet me out here tomorrow and I'll explain." She suddenly disappears with quick flash and a short force of wind. James and a nurse bust out from the woods.

"Sam," James says. "What're you doing out here? Come on, it's time for lunch."

I look back at where Cara was but see nothing. Hesitantly, I turn around and follow James and the nurse

Later that night I lay on my bed staring at the envelope James gave me from my aunt and uncle and mother. This is by far the 3rd weirdest day of my life. Who exactly is Cara and why did she say those things. I lay debated whether I should meet her tomorrow. Should I? I don't know. I could of been hallucinating. I think about her disappearing. I guess that's what teleporting looks like and she didn't say what time I had to be there. Ugh. I glance around the room where I had barely unpacked all of my things, and they actually were my things. Some posters, clothes, and other belongings. Again I stare at the envelope and decide to read it tomorrow. I turn off my light and lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, thinking. I eventually fall asleep, exhausted.


	8. Chapter 8

Sitting down on my bed, fully showered and dressed, in a grey and black stripped sweater and jeans, I start to rip open the letter. It's a little long but not too long.

_Hi,honey. If you haven't realized, it's your aunt writing this. Your uncle and  
your mother miss you. Anyway, I know that you must be confused about what's going on  
__and I'm sorry this couldn't of happened a different way. We know why you're there though  
and I hope they've told you. Your father was like you and got himself into the wrong  
crowd because of it. We obviously don't want that for you so they had to take to their  
facility here in Minnesota. You're better there and you're safe. You have nothing to worry about, honey.  
They only brought you there to help you..._

Eventually, there's some words from my uncle and my mom. At least knowing that they know what's going on reassures me. But I can't help to think back on what Cara said. The fact I'm referring to her as a person that I know is weird. Could I be hallucinated her? I don't know. But I can't remember the last I hallucinated something. There's a sudden knock on my door. When I open it, it's Kate.

"Hey, Sam," she says smiling up at me. She's a little shorter than me though I'm not that tall. I'm only about 5'10'' or 11''. She's wearing mid-blue overall shorts with a pink shirt underneath, pink flat sneakers and a small pink bow in her short, curly blond hair. Gosh, she really likes pink.

"Hey, Kate," I reply, attempting to smile back.

"You missed breakfast. What's up?"

"Oh, I was just, well...not hungry." She frowns at me. "I'm okay," I say.

"Okay well, did you ever get a tour of the place?"

"No, not really. She smiles.

"Good. Then I'll give you one. So you don't get lost."

She hooks her arm with mine and pulls me with her. I manage to close the door behind me. Not really sure what to do with my hands, considering she's hooked my arm, I just shove them in my pocket. She leads me down corridor, past the stairs to the other half of the hallway and stops.

"Those are the other rooms, usually for staff. And there's a study at the end." We turn back around and head down the stairs. She leads me down to the lobby and through other hallways until finally we get to the last one. This place is too big for it's own good. We pass a couple of doors. One we pass just happens to be a room James is in.

"Hey, J.M.," Kate says.

James nods at us and I nod back. Eventually we reach a big room and everyone seems to be in there, chattering amongst themselves. In one corner there's a big movie screen with Elliot, Daniel and Abi watching some action movie with Matt Damon. One the other half of the room, there's a pool table, Foosball table, air hockey and a table tennis table. In that counter there's a small bar and two mini, yet not so mini, fridges.

"We call this the 'hangout' room. It's where we all, you know, hang out."

She lets go of my arm and we enter the room. John is sitting at the bar playing some portable gaming system. The only one I don't see here is Jenn. I wonder where she is. Kate skips over to John to give him some company while I decide to go over to the movie area and sit down next to Eli, with Daniel and Abi behind us.

"Oh hey Sam," Daniel says. "Thought you disappeared or ran off. You weren't at breakfast. Already sick of us?"

"No, no. I just wasn't hungry." Daniel raises his eyebrows. "Sure you were," He says jokingly. He turns back to movie when something loud happens. "God, I love this movie." I look up at the movie and apparently Matt Damon has pushed someone off a roof.

"Want one?" Eli asks, facing me. He holds a chocolate bar out to me.

"No thanks." Eli bends down to tie his shoe. I half expected the candy bar to fall in his lap. Instead its stays there, as if being held up by air. Eli finishing tying his shoe, or at least I think he was.

"Oh sorry," he says noticing my surprise. "Have you been able to do that yet?"

"Yeah. just not used to other people doing."

"Yeah, well get used to it. We're all the same here. You haven't been able to do anything else, have ya?"

"Nope. Just telekinesis."

"Hell yeah!" Daniel exclaims, from behind us. Eli looks back at the screen. I look around the room for a minute until I see Jenn pass the door. I quickly get up and jog towards the door. I see her walking in the opposite direction of me and I run to catch up with her.

"Hey, wait." I run until I'm facing her, stopping her in her tracks. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

"I'm busy," she says impatiently and tries to go around me but I stop her.

"It won't take long. I'd like to know why you seem to be mad at me."

"Seriously?" she asks, looking at me like I grew an extra head. "I have to tell you?" I give her a 'Umm, yeah look'. "Let's see. I was taken from my home, for reasons I don't understand. Without an explanation. To some mental hospital and everything thought I was crazy. Then suddenly, I'm taken to another place and experimented on, for reasons they barely explained to me."

"I'm sorry about that, but how is that my fault?"

"You don't remember? When I came to after they finally let me out of that mental place. Even before that you never even tried to help me You and Jonah, my bestest friends ever, even after my parents gave up on me, didn't do anything to help." she pauses for a moment. "And when I snuck out and came to you when I was let out and asked you to help me, do anything. And you did nothing."

"How was I? I was twelve. I tried to find you when you left, but no one told we anything. I didn't know what to do." she looks at me with her mouth slightly open

"I asked you to find a way to contact me. Hell I gave a way to. And knowing you, I know you could of found out a way to. But you didn't. And what do you know, you show up again years later asking me what's wrong." I sigh heavily.

"Look, I know what's happened to you and I know it's bad. God, I don't know how you survived it. But don't, when you have no one else to blame, blame it on me." I realize I raised my voice, almost into a yell. I immediately calm down. This isn't going to solve things. She stares at me with an angry frown on her face.

"I wanted you to be there for me and you weren't. I don't want to talk to you anymore. God knows I don't need another problem, like you. Just...leave me alone." I want to apologize but she quickly turns and starts to walk away. But she turns around for a moment. "By the way, we are resuming training sessions later in the evening and we all have to be there, at 6." She turns again and walks away. I watch her for a moment. James suddenly pokes his head out of the room he was in before. He looks at Jenn then back at me. I quickly turn and walk away before he asks me anything.

Well that went well.


	9. Chapter 9

"Attention pupils! At this time, please report to the training area to...well, train. That is all." a voice said over an intercom.

I never noticed there was an intercom until now. I quickly finish a letter I'm writing to home. This will have to do until I can use the phones in this place. I glance at the clock and see it's about 5:45. I leave my room to head to the training. Though I'm not really sure where it is, glancing down the hallway, I, luckily, see Daniel.

"Oh, hey Sam," He says, now walking towards me. "Just heading down to the training room. I'll take you if you need help."

"Yeah, thanks. Didn't really know where I was going just now."

I follow Daniel to the training room, with a couple of turns and extended hallways and lobbies. We finally at doorway leading to someplace.

"It's along this hallway sort place."

As we walk in the doorway, Kate, Abi, and Eli with a couple of assistant and trainer looking people are already there. After chatting for a couple of minutes, James walks in with Jennifer and John.

"Okay, I see everyone is here on time. So we'll just get started. You guys will do your normal warm-up and follow the trainer's instructions-" He points towards the trainers. "-while I work with Sam. Good?" They all nod.

"Come on, Sam." He leads me to a separate room with no door. In the middle of the room, there is two chairs opposite of a small rectangular table and a few items on top of it. What am I doing in here?

"Okay, so Sam. I brought you in here, well, because you're new," He say, sitting in one of the chairs. "And if I left you with everyone else, you'd probably get you arse kicked." He's right. I would. I've never really been able to actually fight.

"So," He continues. ", what we're going to do is work on bringing your powers out and you learning, not only use it, but also control it. Come sit." I sit in the chair opposite of him.

"So, you've been able to use telekinesis, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Then this part may be easy." He reaches, grabs a small rubber ball, and puts in on my side of the table. "I want to see if you can lift that in the air. Go ahead, try."

I look down at the ball then back at him. He nods at me. Looking back down at the ball, I try my best to lift it off the table without touching it. With my hands that is. The ball slowly rises from the table and floats in mid-air, shaking a little bit.

"Good. Now try hold it steady. Focus." I try my best to hold it steady. Contorting face but soon my head starts to hurt.

"I don't know if I can," I say, still struggling.

"Don't try too hard, Sam." I look up at him and the ball drops. Gosh. We just started and I'm already tired. I have a feeling this may take a while. He tells me to try again and I do. Lifting the ball the same 6 feet off the table.

"Imagine the ball being still," he says.

I try to imagine the ball being still in the air and for a moment it does. Shaking only slightly now. But then James says something and distracts me, dropping the ball. That's weird. It's a rubber ball but it doesn't bounce.

"Why isn't the ball bouncing?" He chuckles.

"Because I'm stopping from bouncing." Oh. We try more with the ball until I finally get tit steady.

"Okay next, you try and lift this..." He picks another item. "...this stapler." Really? "This time, without looking." Okay, a challenge.

"So I want you to focus on me. Think about you holding the stapler up, but you're not actually touching it." I look at James and try my best to raise the stapler. But it doesn't move. I slump back in my seat.

"I can't do it. It's not working."

"Come on, Sam. You can't just give up," He says, leaning forward. "Try again." I look back at James, staring at him now, trying to focus. I start looking at his features. I don't know how I noticed but I can see he has contacts on. If he's trying to not look like a nerd, he's failing because he still looks like and nerd. His brown hair has blonde streaks at the scalp. I'd expects him to be some skinny science professor looking kind of guy, but he honestly just looks like a normal 20-something-year-old guy. And I know he's not skinny because he looks like he works out.

"There you go," he suddenly says, smiling, breaking eye contact.

"I am?" I ask, my eyes now wide not looking away from him. I slowly begin to look away from him and towards the stapler. Surprisingly, the stapler is in the air and I am the one lifting it. I smirk like an idiot. I got this.

After a while I'm able to lift multiple things and even move around while doing it. I'm pretty tired afterwords though. Gosh I need a good nap.

"Good job today, Sam. Next time we'll work more telekinesis and maybe even get into telepathy." I guess I'll be looking forward for that. James begins to walk out of the room.

"Wait, James," I say, stopping him. "Did the letter I sent get sent? I sent it this morning."

"It should be sent by the end of the day today then. No need to worry."

"Well can I call them then? My family."

"Oh yes. The phones are now working. I'll show you to them." We both walk out of the room with no door. Eli and Kate are the only ones left in the bigger training room. Eli leaning against the wall, Kate sitting on the floor, stretching. Kate smiles at me as me and James exit the room. James leads me down the hallway. Right on a turn he stops and there is a small table with a telephone on top of it. He tells me to press 9 before I dial the number. I don't start calling until he's out of hearing range.

I start dialing the home number. It rings for while, almost to voicemail, but then is picked up.

_"Hello?" a voice says. I smile, happy and relived._

"Mom. I'm so glad to hear your voice."


	10. Chapter 10

The rest of the conversation with my mother was pretty much expected. We talked about what's been going on at home. As to what's been going on with me here I didn't know if I could tell her much, so I just told her I'm learning more about my powers. I would ask why she never told me about myself but I don't think I should put that on her.

"I want to see you guys, Mom," I say.

_"I want to see you too. I don't know when we can see you but maybe it'll be soon."_

"What about your health? What's happened with your Cancer? "

_"Don't worry, honey. It's getting better. The tumor is shrinking. It's only a matter of time before it goes away."_

We both laugh and cry over the news. Mom has been battling this disease for almost two years now. The tumor never really went away and never really grew enough or caused enough trouble to kill her. Mom calls herself "one of the lucky ones" and I believe her. After a while, my back starts to hurt from sitting and leaning against the wall. I say goodbye to my mom and hang up the phone. As I stand up, I think I see a figure move down the hall. When I walk over, I see Jenn quickly trying to speed away.

"Hey! Jenn!" I call out to her. She stops dead in her tracks and turns around slowly. She attempts to look like she was just watching me but fails. I ask her if she heard my phone call.

"No, idiot. You know, I don't always pay attention to you just because you _were _my friend. You're not that important to me. In fact-"

"OK OK. I don't need an explanation to you're staring." I say, trying to calm the air between us but her face stays emotionless. We stand in silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry," I say, softly but I know she hears me. Her face softens and she quickly looks at anything other than me."

"You know, my parents never really fought for me. I even think that they never really cared that much about me and cared more about their reputation. They didn't want the crazy to be known as their daughter." I can't disagree with that.

"I kind of thought that too when they never really tried to get you back. I mean they pretended they did but I could tell that it was fake." Jenn looks up at me.

"At least you still have your mother and your family that still care about you." She quickly walks past me and down the hallway, in the opposite direction, before I can respond.

Walking back to my room, after hanging out with the othera for a while, I see a calendar on the inside of my door. It shows the schedule for this month. I never really considered the amount of time I would stay here. Glancing at the clock, 8:30, I fall down on by back and stare at the ceiling

I remember the first time I met Jenn. Which was a while after I had met Jonah. It was during summertime before 6th grade and me and Jonah, and our parents, we at the pool. Jonah had dared me to go to the highest bar and dive down. No matter how much of a brave person I was, I completely hated and was terrified of the idea on falling form high points. But for some reason, my almost 6th grader head decided to do it anyway. In front of me one the board, was a, I measured, 7 year old girl who just jumped off and into the water with no trouble whatsoever.

As I inched near the end of the board, I snuck a peack down and, my god, some asshole of a girl said something loud to me which startled. I thought I was gonna fall then. I turned around and it was a girl dressed in a one-piece flowery bathing suit, looking at me with her eyebrows raised.

"Its not that scary, just go."

I looked at her like she's crazy.

"Haven't you ever heard of a leap of faith?" She asks.

I stared at her for a while until my hands slips on the rail and I slowly plummeted to my death. Not really but you get what I mean. I let out a short shriek and hit the water. Swimming up to the surface, I see Jenn falling down toward me and makes a huge splash, getting more water in my eyes.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she says, smiling at me. Jonah swam over to us. He tells me "Awesome!" before looking at Jenn. He asks who she is and she says her name us Jennifer and that we should call her Jenn. I look at Jonah and he is staring at her with affection. At least that's what I thought it was. She smiled at both of us. She always liked to smile. From there we became beat friends and eventually Jonah and Jenn started "dating" until she disappeared.

I know that Jenn us nothing like she was before, but I still like to think of how she used to be. These powers ruined her life. I don't yet see what good they can actually do in one's life. Or what good it could do in mine.


	11. Chapter 11

The next day when I wake up, I don't get out of bed. I lay there staring at the ceiling like I always do since I got here. God, I wish I had my laptop. And my own TV. Without other people around me. I wouldn't call myself a lonely person buy sometimes I just liked being alone. With no one to bother me about anything. I want to become a writer. I always would type my own reviews and articles and sometimes stories. Before I left home, I submitted my own article on a growing conflict and how it's affecting us a s Americans. I'm pretty sure it would of gotten publish or I would of gotten some sort of credit or scholarship. But here come this situation, fucking everything as if they weren't fucked up enough.

"So how much did you learn from J.M.?" Eli says, while biting into his sand which. I am at breakfast right now. The process of getting from my bed, through getting dressed, and ending up here is completely lost to me. Though the whole process felt like hours ago.

"Nothing much," I say, trying to avoid conversation.

"Really?" Abi says, leaning forward on the table suddenly, startling me. "Come on, spill it"

To get them off my back, I "spill" it. Telling them how I liftied balls and staplers and that I should get a medal. Kate laughs.

"Ha! You're finny. I love funny sarcasm. Jenn's a funny sarcastic too." Should I be excited and disappointed by the fact that I may have something in common with her? That was a retorucal question, by the way. It's depressing how depressingbmy mood is today. Suddenly I feel pressure in my head. Not like a headache kind of pressure but something else. Daniel slaps his hands on the table.

"So, you want your laptop, you're upset about your encounter with Jenn last evening, and you want me to shut up." I looked up at him halfway into that and he is staring at me intensely. What the?

"Why the hell?" I say, astonished. "What did you just do and where did you get all that information from?" Did he just read my mind?

"I just read your mind. I tried to refrain from it, but it was just so tempting." He turns toward Eli and hands him, I think, twenty bucks. "You win." What the fuck?

"Wait, so you were betting who could go the longest without reading my mind?" My mouth is hanging open in astonishment and disgust. They both nodded.

"Wait, so you actually talk to Jenn?" Abi asks.

"Yeah I thought she hated you for no reason," Kate says, glaring at me.

"What, do you like her or something? She reject you?" Daniel says, teasingly.

"Holy shit, his face is mad red, " Eli says. I can't take this anymore. I stand up, throw my trash away, and start to walk out. I hear Kate call out my name, sounding apologetic, but I continue walking out.

I wander around the hallways for a while. The best things that could calm me down was always writing. Surprisingly writing beat video games for me. I'm still adjusting to this but I still want to know more about this place and thus organization. What exactly is the main purpose for this? I'd like to know. Though I can't get over what happened at breakfast. He read my mind. He read my mind. No matter how many times I say it in my head, it won't ever sound like a normal thing. Hell if he could do it and we're the same, then I can read minds too. I've always been able to read people well but I'm not exactly sure if it was because of my abilities. I remember when my uncle would take me with him to Starbucks when I was in middle school, though I was only allowed non-coffee drinks. I mostly got ice tea though.

Anyway, when my uncle was reading the newspaper and sipping his frap though a straw, I would leave and go to the girl at the cash register and chat with her. We eventually made up this game where I would guess people's orders. And I was good at it. In fact, I guessed everyone single one right. I would tell people to write down their order and I would turn around and say it. This went on until my uncle said we had to go.

Through this while thinking process, I end up, somehow, in the study hall, request a laptop and am sitting down typing everything that's happened these past few days. I'd say I was in there for about an hour before I sense someone's presence behind me. I spin around and see Abi, looking intently at the screen. I quickly shut the laptop.

"Whoa," she says, backing up, pretending to be taken aback. "Don't get you panties in a twist."

"What is it?" I say quick and firm, wanting not to be bothered.

"Oh, you're still upset. Look, Daniel apologized. And me too. We realized you were having a bad day and wanted to know what's going on. You looked really freaked, though. You've never read minds yet?" I shake my head.

"Well good thing you're here so you can learn it better. Anyway, you got another training session with J.M. so ask him." She starts to walk away but turns back around. "And try not to be so mopey."

Next thing I know I'm with James and he's taking me to a different room this time. This house had way too many rooms for it's own good. He's brings me into a room with comfy-enough dining table like chairs with a table. There's a mini fridge in the corner and I can tell the making of this room was trying _not _to make this look like a interrogation room. There's a large mirror along one of the walls that I'm pretty sure has another side to it and is a two-way mirror.

"OK, Sam. Obviously you can see we are doing something else today. I'm going to help you use your telepathy." I stare at him, blankly, though he looks at me waiting for a response. When I don't he continues.

"Well, have you experienced anything related to telepathy ever? How did it happen?" Jeez, I feel like I'm in an interview.

"Yeah." I say, trying to say short responses. "I guessed people's orders at Starbucks." I don't bother to explain.

"And you were always right?"

I nod.

"Every time?"

I nod. He looks at me for a moment.

"You all right, Sam?"

I nod.

"All right, so that's good that you've been exposed. Most people are exposed at a more...complicated way. They hear everyone's thoughts all at once and it overwhelms them. Good for you, you don't have to endure that."

I stay silent.

_"It seems like you'd rather not talk today, Sam. But you can still think."_

'Umm...'

_"It's okay. I get it." _How could you possibly? He looks at me but his lips aren't moving. We're pretty much just having a conversation in our heads right now.

_"We'll just talk like this then. Have you ever had a conversation in your head before."_

'No,' I say, trying not to think about the girl, Cara.

_"Then you can call this another first." _He straightens in his chair and begins speaking out loud now. "The thing about this is that it's quite simple once you understand it. Usually, to talk to someone telepathically, all you have to do is think what you want to say but don't actually say it. It's like talking with you're mouth shut in a way." He stares at me, trying to get my understanding. I nod my head.

"But when you'e doing it, you don't have to give away your actual thoughts. The thoughts deeper inside your mind. But if I were to read your mind, then I could access those thoughts of yours. Unless you put up a defense.

"How?" I say, the first word I've said in about 3 hours.

"Now that, that takes a car ain amount of skill depending on how in touch with your own mind you are. Do you think you are in touch with your mind, Sam?"

"Umm, I think so. I don't know."

"Let's try that later but for now let's see if you can read my mind." He leans back, as if to let me in. Leaning forward, I stare at him hoping something will happen. Trying to somehow get in his mind. And I do get something.

_Control, Ice cream, Divergent, Je-. _I tell him what I got. He tells me that I was only reading to things he was thinking and about how there's a first stage of thinking, which involves talking, the second, which is like talking to yourself in your head, and the third stage, the inside thinking. I finally, after who knows how many tries, get to that he likes at Starbucks, his favorite food, and where he bought his boring shoes from. Then we get to him reading my mind and me blocking my mind off from him.

"OK, so now I'm in your head-" Well then. "- and I want you to try and block your mind."

I feel a sort of presence in my head, if I can put it that way, and try to block it out. I try and I try until my head hurts. He continues to tell me not to stress myself out but I'm not listenening. I want to get this over with so I tell him not to stop and that I'll do it. After feeling like my head might explode, I start to get dizzy so I stop. But it's too late. I hear James call my name but it was distorted. Next thing I feel is falling and the cold hard floor before my sight is filled with complete darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

"What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. Maybe he hit his head."

"No, that's stupid. He probably pushed himself. His nose was bleeding."

Flicking my eyes open, I see...white. The light's bright and I'm laying on my back looking at the ceiling. When I sit up, pain shoots through my head. Ouch. I'm on a white bed that sort of looks like one in hospitals. Around the room is pretty much white, a living chair across from the bed, a table next to the bed, and a door across the room which I'm pretty sure is the bathroom. Kate, Eli, and Jenn are at the door looking at me. Kate and Eli turn away from me and step away from the door into the hallway. But Jenn stares at me for a moment, face expressionless, before she walks out the door. I turn when I hear a door in the room. A nurse comes out of the bathroom, walks over to me and smiles at me.

"W-Where am I?" I ask.

"You're at the nurse. You hurt your head. J.M. says you were trying to use your powers but you also hit your head on the floor. Mild concussion." Concussion? Ugh.

"So am I gonna get a concussion every time I try to get into someone's head?"

"In, but I think it was the way you were trying that caused your blackout. J.M. can explain it more to you." She hands me a pill bottle from the end table beside the bed. "Take this every seven hours or whenever your headaches come."

After sitting and watching TV in that room because I needed "rest", I finally get up and begin to walk down the hall hoping I would get somewhere familiar. As I'm walking, I hear a grunting sound. What? I sped up my pace, ignoring my headache, and check out the source. In what looks like a workout room/gym, I see David and Abi...fighting? Training, I think.

Abi ducks David's jab and disappears and appears behind him, hooking his neck, and catching him off-guard. They start laughing.

" Another point for me," Abi says, releasing him. "You need start training more."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Stop bragging."

I lean against the wall and accidentally move the door, which creaks slightly. Then quickly turn to me, surprised.

"Oh hey, Sam. How long you been standing there?" David says.

"Oh. Umm, not long. What are you guys training for?"

"I guess so we can become acquainted with our powers. It helps." Abi says.

"I remember J.M. once said it's also to protect ourselves. That there's still people out there that...aren't so great," Dave says. "Anyway, you wanna join us? I can teach you."

"I can't." Though I really wanted to. "My head's not in good shape." Dave chuckles.

"Oh yeah. Jenn said something about you hurting yourself trying to read J.M." Great. He's llaughing at me. I tell them I got to go and continue walking down the hall. Until I see J.M. and Jenn talking down the hall. They look like they're in deep conversation. Before I could listen in, they both turn and look at me. Well, that's another the ng I need to work on. Sneaking up on people. They say something to each other and depart. Jenn walking my way.

"Hey," I say, attempting to lighten tension between us. She says nothing, only raises her eyebrows. Though she stops in front of me.

"How's your head?" she say, mockingly. I roll my eyes.

"My head's fine. You can making fun of me." She looks at me for a second.

"Whatever. We have fight & defense training later. Everyone must attend. She begins to walk away. " So get your _head_ in the game." she says, pointed to her head. Will she quit? She gives me a headache. Though it might be my mild concussion.

I decide to go to sleep for a while because aooerently concussions make you sleepy.

I wake up suddenly, after a weird dream. That girl Cara was in it and she was telling me something. Something very important. But I woke up before I could know. Damn.

My headache has gone down thankfully. I look at the date and it looks like I had passed out yesterday so that means I was asleep in that medical room overnight and I haven't showered in over 24 hours. Smelling myself, I go shower and change my clothes to a tank top with a random hoodie from my stuff and some comfy jeans. I head out and past the dining room. I'm not really feeling food right now. I get to the training room and see Kate there, on the floor stretching.

"Hey, Sam," she says, looking up at me. "How's your head?"

"Better." I look around. "I don't really have workout clothes."

"You sure you ready to train today?" I nod. "OK, well I can get you a pair for next time."

"Thanks." I'm curious how she would know my size. I stretch with Kate (not in that way) for a while when the rest of them show up. Behind them, James.

"OK guys," James says once we're all settled. "We haven't had a good session in a while, so it's time we catch up." James takes off his sweatshirt and places it on a small table. Surprisingly, he's pretty buff. Or at least not as skinny as I thought he would be. As a matter of a fact, I think I'm the skinniest person in here considering I don't work out.

"Ok, so I'll pair you guys up. David with Eli. Kate with Abi. Sam with John. And Jenn, I guess you'll work with me. You'll be partners until we take a break from the sessions."

We all pair up.

"Hey, Sam," John says, approaching me. "Glad we're paired up. Haven't been able to get to know you yet." I guess. After we pair up, James turns to say something.

"OK, so as you know, you need to know the basics of fighting and defense before you incorporate your powers with it. So for now train without your powers." He turns to me and John. "John you remember how we train newbies?" He nods. "Good. You can teach Sam how it works. But go easy. His head." Do he really need to call me a newbie?

I look around and some of us starting.

"Ok, so we'll start with how you throw a punch," he says handing me knuckle wraps but then has to help me.

"Throw a punch at me." I look at him, startled. "Yeah, that's what we're doing. Throw a punch." Uh, OK. I "throw a punch" at hI'm But he immediately blocks it with ease.

"That's the best you got?" I shrug. "One, that was barely a punch. Two, you're stance is terrible. And three, if you were actually getting attacked right now, you'd be on your ass." Whatever. "You gotta put your fists up, so you can hit the person and to protect your face." I put my fists up the way I thought it should. Shaking his head, he lifts up my upper arm by my elbows. It sort of looks like a boxing stance if you will.

"Now try to hit me again." I do but he blocks it again. "You don't have much technique."

"Well, it's not like I ouch regularly," I respond quickly.

"That's why you got me. I'm better with technique rather than power." He tells me that there is multiple ways of punching. Jabs, cross-punching, hooking, and uppercutting (my favorite). He teaches me jabs and a little cross-punching when there's a loud yelp. I spin around and see Kate crawled up in a ball. Holding her foot. James, Abi and a nurse rush to her. The rest of us stand worried. James asks Kate some things and Abi and him help carry Kate out the door, the nurse following behind. I look over at John.

"What do you think happened?" I ask. He shrugs, looking really worried. About two minutes later, James and Abi come back in the room. James says that Kate fell in a bad position and sprained her ankle. They're taking her to the hospital.

"So," he says. "You guys have to get new partners. Hmm let's see." He looks around the room at us. "David you'll go with Abi, Eli you'll be with John. Sam...with Jenn."

I look at him wide-eyed. Then I look over at Jenn, who's just as shocked and eventually glares from James to me.

Fuck.


	13. Chapter 13

This whole time, or at least most of it, I've tried to avoid Jenn. To prevent any further awkward and honestly painful altercations. Now James has to fuck that up. When he dismisses us for the day, ai run up to him.

"OK so, I'm not exactly comfortable with my partner. So..."

"What's the problem?" He asks, looking curious and as if he'd rather be doing something else right now.

"Umm, I just don't feel comfortable teaming with Jenn..."

"And why not? What's wrong with teaming with Jenn?"

I stare at him for a moment but eventually change my mind and head out the room. Probably not the best idea to tell him all my problems with Jenn. If only he wouldn't be so persistent as to why. Then again, did I really think he would say alright with no explanation? Jenn's standing at the doorway but I pass by her without any eye contact whatsoever. I decide to go outside and walk around, get some sunlight. Eli is on tthe grass, kicking a soccer ball around.

"Hey, man," he says, seeing me. "Wanna play?"

"Sure."

We stay on silence for a while, kicking the ball back and forth.

"So you're teamed with Jenn." he says. "How you liking that?"

"Not so much. She's intense. Shell probably beat my ass."

"Yeah. Sucks to be you." He kicks ball harder this time, making it roll a little far pass me. I run over to retrieve it.

"You know, you have this affect on her," he says after me. "It's weird."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's like whenever she sees you or when you're around, she, you know...reacts. Gets all tense and sometimes agitated." He pauses. "You super sure you never knew her before. Something?"

I shake my head, lying.

"You know, we're all curious about her. Kate came here some time after Jenn so she knows more about her. And even that's not a lot. I want to read her, which seems like the only way to get something other than she shows out of her. But either she always has her guard up or...well I'm just to scared to."

I start kicking the ball up on my knees, therefore ending the conversation. Surprisingly, I'm pretty decent at soccer.

"Ok, Sam. I see you know your way around soccer."

Later, I'm walking through the halls. Not sure where I'm actually going. I eventually descend down some stairs at one point. When I turn a corner, I hear shuffling and voices coming from a room. Walking faster, I try to locate where it's coming from. Down the hall I see double doors, slighty cracked open. That's where the noise is coming from. Sounds like two men arguing. One of them sounds like James.

"..., Hugh! What do you want me to do?!"

That's James yelling but I don't hear a response from whoever he's talking to. Then some mumbling. I can't hear what they're saying anymore, I quickly sneak up to the door and peek through. When I look, I see several bright machines. Computers. Weird computer and they look high-tech. Some of them have a map the U.S. on them. Whey are they here? I've never seen these types of computers. I swear they look like futuristic ones, sort of like how I looked at the ones on Star Trek. Minus the space voyaging.

There are several people in the room; ones I've never seen before; dressed in black. I look over and see the wierdest thing ever. A man sitting in a seat, looking in the opposite direction, very still. But the weird part is that he has a wire sticking out of his neck. Literally. Like it was a headphone jack plunged into a computer. What the fuck?

"Sir, I thought we had an agreement. This is not the place for this. I want all this relocated out of the facility." I hear James' voice, bit I can't see him. I glance around and stop when a see a man. Now I know he's just a man, but this guy was tall, had jet black hair, a short beard, and, to me, abnormally grayish eyes. I don't what it is but this guy looks very intimidating. I think he was the one James was talking to. Suddenly, he turns and looks in my direction until he locks eyes with...me. That stare. I can't ever get it out of my head now that its happening. He just looks at me, allowing me to see his ice cold eyes. And I'm fully aware that my mouth is hanging open. I wanna turn and quickly walk, maybe even even run, but it's like his gaze has a hold of me, because I don't move. I don't think I can.

Then someone big, in black armor, shows up in front of me, breaking my gaze on that man. I have to lift my head pretty high to see the man's face. He only allows me to see him for a split second before he shuts the door in my face. Hard. So taken aback by this, I stumble back against the opposite wall. What the fuck did I just see? Was I supposed to see that? I bend over witv my hands on my knees and my head hanging down. Seeing someone at the corner of my eye, I slowly turn my head. Its Jenn. She's seems to be everywhere now-a-days.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" She asks, in a snarky tone. I don't answer though. She turns and looks at the door for a minute. Though she doesn't look curious at all, as if she knows what's in there.

"You shouldn't be down here," she says, turning around and starts to walk away.

"Why, the hell, not?" I mumble.

"This is "STAFF" only!" She yells, though I don't know how she heard me.

"Then why are _you_ down here?" I say when she's well out of hearing range. And I mean both ways.

God, I need a nap.


	14. Chapter 14

"It's all good, man."

"Well, I'm getting bored just sitting here not being able to do anything, Eli."

"Sorry, man. But who knows? No one knows what she wants to why she does certain things. I gotta go back." Eli strolled away.

Jeez, what's up with this girl? Can't show up on time to anything. I guess I shouldn't be too pissed right now. I never really wanted to train with her anyway. Actually, now I'm hoping she doesnt show up at all. It'll save me some trouble. I kick up my feet on a speaker right next to me and continue eating my lollipop.

Suddenly someone bursts through the doors. Crap.

"Alright, sorry I'm late knucklehead," she says, walking toward me. She pushes my feet off the speaker. "Get up. We have to train."

"Sorry if I didn't know if you would show up. Let alone one hour late." Though she's late, she looks completely dressed and prepared. I'm starting to think that she's completely anti-social.

"Alright, enough bullshitting," she said, suddenly serious. Bullshitting? We've said two things to each other.

"Have you even fought someone before? And won?" she asks. Though looking like she already know the answer to her question. I lie.

"Well, I mean, I have been in some conflicts-" Before I can finish my sentence, she punches my in the stomach. As I bend over in excruciating pain, she elbows me in my back, making me fall flat on my face before curving up into a ball. Wtf?!

"You should always keep your guard up and pay attention," she says, with satisfaction in her voice. I strain to get up, holding my stomach and finding something to grab on to.

"Is this your idea of training?" I say, struggling to speak considering I just got the wind knocked out of me.

"Yeah, pretty much. Too bad you're stuck with me," she bends down. "I remember how you would always out smart the person who was trying to fight you. That's not gonna work here because unlikebyhose bullies they'll just beat your ass." Yeah, thanks for the heads up once I'm on my ffeet, I still have to stand up straight. Ouch.

"You alright sweetie? Remember we ain't got all day," she says after I take a minute to recover.

"Did you have to hit me that hard?"

For some reason she eases up. We continue with the trainng like how Eli and I did. Basic punches with kicks added. Sorta feels like MMA for some reason. I start getting bored.

"So what now? When will we start using powers?"

"Dude, you're not that good yet. Unless you want me to kick your ass again?" I shake my head.

"I gotta teach you blocking and countering. Then offensive. Then maybe we'll use powers next. Depends on James and what he wants us to do." Alright. We continue to train until I'm exhausted. Though she looks like she barely broke a sweat. As we're getting ready to leave and go to dinner, James comes foward and calls our attention.

"Alright guys, good work. So in the next few days, we'll have a competition. Between groups. Thought it might bring some fun for you guys."

"Yes! I've been waiting to kick some ass for a while," Dave exclaims, which brings laughter.

"Ha ha. Calm down Dave. We're not really trying to hurt one another for real. So, anyway, I highly suggest that you guys really train for this. If you don't want to be completely embarrassed when one of the rest of you kicks your arse," he says, a smile immerging on his face. Dave makes another outburst and points to Eli. The two of them have a dispute with one another. After James' announcement, I start to leave the room. Jenn walks up to me.

"You did _good_ today. But not that good. Not good enough for the competition, at least. So you'd better train if to want to win."

"Oh I will. They're still doing training sessions, though."

"Yeah." She squeezes my arm in her hand. "Though you also need to work out. You're kinda scrawny."

"Yeah, whatever."

As she's walking away, I realize that was the most normal conversation I've had with her since...well since we were kids. She wasn't all hostile like she normally was when I first got hear. Almost comfortable. Weird. Does that mean she hates me less or something? Sometimes I wish I can get into her head, if she'd let me.

I think I'll call home before dinner.


	15. Chapter 15

I found out yesterday afternoon that they have another workout room. The ones with pinching bags in then and all that other equipment. I thought I might go there later to practice for the tournament or whatever. Might as well _not_ make and embarrassment of myself by getting my ass kicked. I'm gonna ask John to help me mostly because he's the most muscular of the guys. And also why the hell not?

"Hey, guys," John says, sitting down at the table with Kate, Eli and I with an apple in his hand.

"You guys getting ready for the tournament? I know I am," he says, taking a bite of his apple.

"Yeah, most of us _need_ practice," Kate says, clearing her throat while clearly looking at me as she said it. I roll my eyes at her.

"That reminds me," I begin to say. John, would you mind helping me train in that weight room?"

"Umm...yeah sure. I got some time. I was actually going there today."

"Really?"

"No," he chuckles. "But yeah I'll help you."

"Cool."

I hear loud chatter behind us and turn to James talking to two of his colleagues. Every time I see him, I think what I saw some time ago. I've been dying to know what the hell that was and if it's still here. After I finish my lunch I quickly head over to him, before he leaves the room.

"Hey. James, wait."

He spins around and smiles at me.

"Hey, Sam. How are you?"

"Good. Uh-."

"You guys excited about about the little tournament in three days?" He starts to walk out of the lunch and into the hallway.

"Yeah. We are."

"I thought I'd set this up for you guys because...well you guys need some fun."

"Yeah, sure. I actually wanted to talk to you about something." I stop walking and grab his upper arm to stop him.

"About the room in the basement with the...you know stuff."

"I'm afraid I have no clue what you're talking about."

I look at him with a 'come on don't pretend you don't know' look. But he stares at me blankly. I'm about to explain, when one of the staff walks by. Quite slow if you ask me. After a long pause until she's out of hearing distance, I continue.

"The room with all the computers and futuristic things or whatever. What was that? I mean there should be a logical explanation as to why we're not allowed in that area, right? So what was with the...stuff going on in that room, huh?" Throughout my semi rant, James has a look of realization and annoyance.

"OK, look. Sam, you weren't supposed to be there, as you said. So the fact that you were there means it's not of your concern."

"But what was going on? Why were all those people there and who was that guy?" By 'that guy' I mean the tall intimidating man I saw with the icy gray eyes.

"Sam, it doesn't concern you. Why were you even there in the first place? Someone should of told you about that. And don't think about reading me because you're not going to succeed." I need to know. I continue to attack him.

"Why are you keeping this from us? If this is such a good place, then why are there secrets?"

"Everyone has secrets," he replies quickly.

"Hey, Sam!"

I quickly turn around, still in detective mode. It's John.

"You wanna go now?"

I turn back to James.

"So you're not going to tell me?"

"No." he snaps, slightly raising his voice. I huff and spin around to head towards John.

I don't know what his problem is but when I was questioning him he seemed so annoyed and angry. But not at me. And he wierdly seemed nervous about it. Regardless, I'm gonna find out what all that was about. Because of it seemed to affect so much, then, like Cara told me, it must be something _really_ important.

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

I sit down, leaning against a speaker, waiting for John to be ready already. I pass my time hovering a coin through my fingers. After some while, he finally comes back in from a small semi area with no door part of the room.

"Alright. You ready for practice?" he asks.

"If sitting and waiting for _you_ to get ready means I'm ready, then yes." He chuckles but disregards my sarcasm. "Why'd you take so long?"

"I was looking for this shirt."

His sleeve less shirt shows some MMA fighter whos name I can't pronounce.

"I guess you can say he's my inspiration. Alright, so have you lifted?" I stare at him blankly.

"I mean have you lifted weights." I shake my head.

"Seriously? Never?"

"I mean it depends. Probably. Just not like this. Not with bench presses or anything like that."

"Well I'll show you how to use them. And how to do a proper work out session. This'll have to be a repetitive one because, dude, you need to gain some muscle. I mean you're not that skinny but you don't have much muscle."

The rest is kind of unimportant. He tells me how to use all the workout equipment. Some I've never even heard of before. I got to tell you he's pretty buff. Makes me feel...well, weak. But I think I outdid _myself _today. Though after the workout I'm pretty stumped. Out of breath. I grab my stuff, drape a small towel around my neck, tell John thanks, and head out the door. And, once again, I bump into Jenn. Again.

"Woah, look at you. Looks like you puy up a sweat. What broke you? 90 pound bar?"

"Haha. I have a question," I say stopping from walking. "Are we gonna continuously pass each other with you giving me a smart remark?" She shrugs.

"Maybe," she says, smirking. I chuckle.

"Figured. Why are you being...somewhat nicer to me?" She stiffens slightly but quickly rrecovers that a normal person wouldn't notice. I can read people well non-telepathically but it's hard to read her.

"I'm not being nice, I'm just not being mean, I guess." She suddenly gets more upright and gets anbangry and astonished look on her face.

"DON'T try to read me."

Holy shit. She got so mad I thought she was gonna hit me. But she doesn't. Before I can apologize, she storms off. So I guess it _won't_ be that easy to get back on her good side. No matter how many training sessions we have.


End file.
